PSW10/110 and uncompressed audio

mystik610

I was wondering if you guys could chime in on how well the PSW10 and PSW110 perform with uncompressed audio tracks.

My current sub (which is admittedly a crappy HTiB sub) works fine for just about every source but uncompressed audio tracks on blu-ray movies. I suspect its because the uncompressed audio tracks dip into lower frequencies that my current sub can't handle, causing it to bottom out like mad.

My expectations for a subwoofer aren't too high, I just need something that can provide good 'supportive' bass, without bottoming out and creating distracting distortions.

Just for reference, I am using an Onkyo receiver and running Audyssey, which automatically adjusts the EQ settings based on volume. I've been able to successfully avoid the sub bottoming out by manually turning down the lowest frequencies in the equalizer, but I can only do so by turning off Audyssey, which I really like.

TECHNOKID

I think providing the size of your room, the systme main usage and surrounding may help. Personnally, I would stay away from the PSW10 as it barely provides any power. I am not bass fanatic during movies but I still like some bass effect during a good movie. I am presently using the PSW110 with half decent result in a slightly smaller than 13' x 20' room. With the actual pricing of the PSW series these days, I would gladly go for larger sub IE: PSW505 however, since I own a PSW110 presently maybe I would simply add a second one. PSW10 is too small for my taste! I am very fortunate the store I bought from didn't carry it and provided me with the slightly more powerfull PSW110 cause they probably would have got me with the PSW10. I know some people with slightly smaller rooms that are happy with the PSW10 though.

camel_89si

i am using the psw-10 and although i can't vouch for it for uncompressed audio, it really isn't a bad sub. nobody can beleive me when i tell them it's only 50 watts. i got it for free on a special on polk speaker purchases and i'm in a small apartment so it fills my room quite well. i have it turned up less than half way and it puts out some clean boom. if i were to go out and buy a sub though, i would get something a little more higher end. but being in an apartment, my neighbors hate my HT enough as it is, so i'll wait on that one.

Jim Shearer

I'm a simple two channel guy who doesn't care about HT. For music, I use a PSW10 to fill in the bottom end with some small speakers. I think it's just great for that.

HOWEVER, for serious HT, the PSW10 doesn't go low enough. I think it's F3 is about 30 Hz. I would be looking for an F3 down to at least 20 Hz for HT. If you have a small HT system and are in an apartment, the PSW10 might be OK-- as it won't make your neighbors as angry as a good HT sub.

Cheers, Jim

Upstatemax

Not a fan of the PSW10... With my Monitor 70's it's nearly pointless.

For music it does not even kick on, HT it does for some stuff but I don't find it very good for action. Anything with extended bass gets very muddy and sounds bad... It's only good for short bursts of "support" bass for the Monitors.

potee

Upstatemax wrote: »

Not a fan of the PSW10... With my Monitor 70's it's nearly pointless.

For music it does not even kick on, HT it does for some stuff but I don't find it very good for action. Anything with extended bass gets very muddy and sounds bad... It's only good for short bursts of "support" bass for the Monitors.

So what do you use. I'll be looking real soon. Yhanks

potee

mystik610

TECHNOKID wrote: »

I think providing the size of your room, the systme main usage and surrounding may help. Personnally, I would stay away from the PSW10 as it barely provides any power. I am not bass fanatic during movies but I still like some bass effect during a good movie. I am presently using the PSW110 with half decent result in a slightly smaller than 13' x 20' room. With the actual pricing of the PSW series these days, I would gladly go for larger sub IE: PSW505 however, since I own a PSW110 presently maybe I would simply add a second one. PSW10 is too small for my taste! I am very fortunate the store I bought from didn't carry it and provided me with the slightly more powerfull PSW110 cause they probably would have got me with the PSW10. I know some people with slightly smaller rooms that are happy with the PSW10 though.

My room is 14x17...its not too large but my house has a very open floor plan, and high ceilings. The sub I have is good enough for my tastes...it won't be shaking anything off the wall, but its adequate enough to give the soundstage some depth, and provide the occasional dramatic booms.

My main concern is finding a sub that can handle deep lows (say 40hz and below) without bottoming out. I'm sure even some very large subs can distort at extremely low frequencies.

You're right though..... since I'm in the market for a sub, I might as well look for something a little more high-end.

mystik610

Jim Shearer wrote: »

HOWEVER, for serious HT, the PSW10 doesn't go low enough. I think it's F3 is about 30 Hz. I would be looking for an F3 down to at least 20 Hz for HT. If you have a small HT system and are in an apartment, the PSW10 might be OK-- as it won't make your neighbors as angry as a good HT sub.

Cheers, Jim

That was my main concern....What would be your recommendation for a sub that can go down to 20hz without breaking the bank?

Mike LoManaco

Mystik,

I am also a PSW10 owner (the model is a good few years old already; bought it in perhaps '03 or so) and I have to agree AND disagree about its power abilities based on what others are saying here. There were times that some titles' soundtracks would bottom this thing out, but there were also times, such as when I moved to the state my folks were living and moved in with them for a short time before securing my own new place and hooked up the PSW10 to THEIR Onkyo TX-SR600, that this thing would shake the walls and entire house during a good DVD soundtrack; my folks had 12-foot vaulted ceilings in their media room where this system was hooked up, and my girlfriend at the time and other family members would experience the bass rooms away. This was from a 10" powered sub without that much internal amp power...

I'm STILL running my PSW10 today in my new system and it STILL shakes the walls to the point that because of neighbors, as was stated, I need to constantly reduce the sub's calibration level...

My next plan? I would like to replace the PSW10 with, say, two SVS 15's, but that's gonna require a whole lot of house and privacy. As for uncompressed tracks with this sub, I'm running them through my system and there seems to be enough punch -- the scene in DARK KNIGHT where the Joker blows up Gotham General comes with a MASSIVE crunch and boom of LFE from this PSW10. :eek:

Jim Shearer

mystik610 wrote: »

That was my main concern....What would be your recommendation for a sub that can go down to 20hz without breaking the bank?

Others will chime in w/ suggestions for good subs. I really don't know the market well. You might check out the latest Polk subs--I have heard good things about them. If cost is the greatest concern, you could look at the Parts Express kits. Just remember: physics cannot be denied; to reach low freq at high volume a large diaphragm and serious power will be needed.

Cheers, Jim

skrol

I'd have to say that my RTA11TLs dig deeper and cleaner than my PSW10. The PSW10 does seem to have more energy in its band. It just doesn't sound as good or as deep. But what do we expect when they are give aways.

mystik610

Thanks for the responses guys. Looks like I'm going to hold off until I have enough for either an axiom EP125 or hsu STF-2.